Kuleto's Los Gatos

A Kuleto's has opened at the newly built Los Gatos Hotel across from Los Gatos High. The retaurant was immediately popular as it fits a category that did not previously exist in LG.

The room is rich in woods and mission style fixtures. The energy is at a very high level and the clientele was surprisingly dressy. Our waiter was fantastically attentive. He did not share much in the way of info but moved quickly to get our orders squared away.

OK, the food. Good (but not great) bread. The Caeser salad was whole crunchy roamine leaves with an acceptibly tangy dressing, shaved parmesan and house made croutons. Not bad--no gold medals though.The duck risotto was the best dish. Safron hued rice with an ample and tasty mound of shredded duck nicely presented on a wide dish. The rice was creamy but not mushy and very flavorful.

The NYSteak was the usual Bay Area disaster-- a lovely appearing piece of charred and scored beef perfectly presented with on a bed of greens.Ordered medium rare, it was baely cooked underneath its shiny exterior and a vein of fat and gristle seemed to occupy about one-third of what should have been muscle. I should have known better than to orderthis--I am done with steak locally. I will wait to have a real one in Alberta when visiting family and friends.

All in all it is a Kuleto's. Don't expect any new ground to be broken but as a drop in place for a late-ish bite, not bad.

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